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Saskatoon taxpayers are facing a near five per cent tax increase for 2013.

On Wednesday city council approved a 4.99 per cent increase for next year after two days of budget deliberations.

City administration had originally proposed a 5.17 per cent hike.

With councillors committed to putting more money into roads the increase could have been higher, but administration was able to find some last-minute savings to cut $750,000 from the budget and keep the tax hike under five per cent.

Roads received special attention in the budget, with 1.245 per cent of the tax increase dedicated toward improving the condition of city streets. The city’s road budget will be about $11.5 million in 2013.

Councillors also approved $700,000 in added funding for snow removal and a further $100,000 to improve snow removal in school zones.